Extrusion mill feed assembly



Oct. 13, 1959 E. N. MEAKIN 2,908,038

sxmusxon MILL FEED ASSEMBLY Filed May 6, 1957 93 j lg'x INVENTOR.

EDGAR N. MEAKl/V BY l M Y My HIS ATTORNEYS United States PatentEXTRUSION MILL FEED ASSEMBLY Edgar N. Meakin, Hillsborough, Calif.

Application May 6, 1957, Serial No. 657,330

Claims. (eras-12 My invention relates to extrusion mills and moreparticularly to the type in which material is extruded by a pair ofextrusion members such as rollers, through the perforations of a ringdie supported in a vertical plane.

One of the problems connected with the operation of such a mill is to,not only assure substantially equal rate of feed material to each ofsuch rollers, but to also assure maximum feed to such rollerscommensurate with the capacity of the rollers to extrude the materialfed to them, whereby to obtain both a maximum and uniform output fromthe mill rollers. This is particularly important with respect tomaterial of light weight and substantial bulk, as such material israther difiicult to handle in connection with the extrusion of the same.

Among the objects of my present invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved feed means for an extrusion mill ofthe type incorporating a ring die supported in a vertical plane;

(2) To provide a novel and improved feed means for an extrusion mill ofthe above type, which will increase the output of such mill and improvethe efficiency thereof particularly in the handling of light weightbulky material; and

(3) To provide a novel and improved feed means for an extrusion mill ofthe above type, which feed means may be adjusted to the character ofmaterial fed thereto.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view in section through an extrusion millof the aforementioned type, with the present invention incorporatedtherein;

Figure 2 is a view partly in section, taken in the plane 22 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a view partly in section taken in the plane 33 of Figure 1,and retaining certain of the structural features in plan; and

Figure 4 is a view depicting an improvement in the inventive feature ofFigures 1, 2 and 3. Referring to the drawings for details of myinvention in its preferred form, the mill construction involves a casing1 having a front wall 3 and rear wall 5, each of which carries a bearingassembly 7 and 11 respectively, with the bearings in alignment. 7

Supported for rotation in the aforementioned bearing assemblies is amain drive sleeve 21 which extends beyond the front wall 3 andterminates in a die supporting and driving disk 23. This driving diskhas a face ring 24 affixed thereto, which is provided with a circularrecess in the front face thereof adjacent its periphery, to receive acylindrical ring die 27 having preferably radial die holes 29therethrough. The die is rigidly held in ice The die and driving diskassembly form a die chamber 43 which is rotatable by reason of thesleeve 21 being supported in the bearings 7 and 11. This sleeve isprovided with a key way 45, enabling a main drive gear 47 to be keyedthereto, the same being maintained in spaced relationship to the frontbearing assembly 7 by a shoulder 49 on the sleeve.

Power is transmitted to the main drive gear 47 through a pinion 51 inmesh therewith, such pinion being carried by a pinion shaft 53 supportedbetween the front and rear walls of the casing on bearing assemblies 55and 57 respectively, carried thereby, such pinion shaft being keyed toan external pulley or other means 59 for applying rotational power tosuch shaft.

Located within the die chamber are a pair of extrusion means such asextrusion rollers 61 for cooperating with the ring die 27 in theextrusion of moldable material through the die holes. These rollers aremounted within a horizontally disposed cage comprising front and rearend plates 63 and 65 respectively, which serve to carry the spindles 67about which the rollers revolve.

The rear end plate 65 is fixed to the end of a shaft 71, which in turnpasses axially through the main drive sleeve 21. It is supportedadjacent the front wall 3 ina bearing assembly 73 carried within thesleeve 21 which has been enlarged at this point for such purpose. Theend of the shaft remote from the roller assembly is supported in acentral hub 75 constituting part of the rear wall bearing assembly 11,the shaft being keyed therein to prevent rotational movement of theshaft.

As thus far described, the roller assembly is fixed, while the die 27 isrotatable through the application of power to the main drive gear 47,thus bringing about relative movement between the extrusion rollers andthe ring die.

The material to be molded is fed into the die chamber 43 through anoutwardly flaring housing 81 mounted at its smaller end to the rim ofthe ring die and having a front wall 83 with an aperture 85 thereinthrough which moldable material may be fed into the housing by means ofa suitable chute 87.

The outwardly flaring housing, being mounted onthe ring die, it willrotate with such die. Due to such rota: tion of the housing, materialthat is deposited therein from the chute, will be directed against theflaring wall thereof by centrifugal force and carried around withrotational movement of the housing while continued feeding position onthe driving disk ring by a plurality of locking keys 31 which are fixedin position by screws 41 passing through such keys and threading intothe rim of the driving disk ring 24.

of the material from the chute will cause some of the material to findits Way directly into the lower half of the extrusion chamber 43 whereit will be carried by the die into the pocket formed by the die and oneof the extrusion rollers.

The outwardly flaring character of the housing enables the housing toaccommodate a substantial volume of light bulky material, such abilitybeing one of the important requirements of the present invention.

To assure an adequate supply of such material to both the aforementionedroller and the upper half of the extrusion chamber Where it may beextruded by the second extrusion roller, I provide a substantiallyhorizontal shelf 91 just above the extrusion rollers in the upperportion of the extrusion chamber, such shelf being supported on thefront plate 63. This shelf extends out into the outwardly flaringhousing, where it terminates in an angularly disposed edge 93 directedinwardly toward the pocket formed by the second extrusion roller and theinner surface of the ring die.

Along such edge and preferably at an acute angle to the shelf is a guideflange 95, which extends upwardly with its upper edge 97 in proximity tothe flaring wall of the housing 81. Due to the conical slope of theflaring Wall and the direction in which the flange extends intofrontl-wall ofthe housing,- and this front edge isconnected:

to.-the upper curved edge 97 by an edge 101 which serves totstraddle thecorner formed between the flaring wall oftthehousing 81- and its frontwall 8-3.

The. flange 95. together with the shelf. 91, constitute a scoop adaptedto gather in from the upper region of the'housing a-substantial amountof the material carried up bytherotational movement of the housing. Inthis connection the outwardly flaring housing not only makes available alarge volume of material for this purpose, but at: the same timeprovides space for a scoop of substantialt size sotas toenable the sameto segregate a large portion of this available supply.

Such-material is exposed to pressure of material subsequently beingcarried up to said upper region, the material gathered into the scoop,particularly if light and bulky, becomesmore and more compacted as it isforced into the extrusion pocket in the upper half of the die cham ber;and approaches the second roller. Thus, when the material is normally ofa light, bulky character, a substantial degree of progressive compactionof the material takes place before extrusion. By reason of this, theextrusion means will operate on material of greater than originaldensity with the result that denser and firmer pellets will be producedwith an accompanying increase in the output and efliciency of the mill.

In shaping the the guide flange 95 to span the angle which. the flaringwall of the housing makes with the front wall, an opening 135 ofsubstantially triangular shape, is formed which permits of some of thematerial escaping past the flange. By making the flange of a particularsize, the material carried up into the upper region of the housing maybe so divided, that the material by-passing the scoop, when used tosupplement that being fed. directly to the first roller, will assuresubstantially the. same amount being supplied to the first roller as isscooped up and directed to the second roller. By so proportioning anddirecting the material, the output of themachine, in addition to beingincreased, will at the same time be uniform as both rollers will befunctioning under. thesame conditions.

To assure that such by-passed material will be directed to, the. firstroller, I provide a guide 111 supported by a bracket from the lowerright corner of the front plate 63 as viewed from the front of themachine. Such guide is inthe form of a strip of metal supported at avertical angle. and having a broadened upper end 113 with asubstantially horizontal bevelled edge in proximity to the front wall83-of the housing 81 and its lower end terminating preferably at a pointwithin the lower regionof the die chamber, approximately in the plane ofthe. outer rim of the die. With one long edge of the guide 111 followingclosely the inner or proximate surface of the outwardly flaring wall ofthe housing, essentially all the material by.-passing the scoop, as wellas any material picked up by the scoop but which might conceivablyescape the associated roller, will be intercepted by the guide anddirected thereby into the lower half of the die chamber to mingle withmaterial directly fed thereto from the chute for extrusion by the firstroller.

While the described guide flange, as part of the scoop, will function toadvantage with materials of varying degrees of bulkiness, for somematerials the ratio of division of the material in the upper region ofthe die chamber, will, for maximum results and efficiency, be somewhatdifferent for some materials than for others. Consequently, a guideflange of fixed characteristics will increase the efficiency of amachine in varying amounts, depending upon the particular material beingworked on.

To assure maximum output'and efiiciency for materials of differentcharacteristics, particularly those fallingwith- 4; in the light bulkycategory, I prefer to make the scoop adjustable so as to gather in moreor less of a particular material.

One way of accomplishing this is to provide means for altering theeffective area or extent of the flange 95, and this is made possible bythe provision of a vane 117 pivotally secured to the flangeat a point118 which will permit the vane to be exposed, to a more or less degree,beyond the edge 101 of the flange, whereby to-intercept more or less ofa given material which is rotating with the housing. Such adjustmentwill be altered'until the output and'efliciency of themill for theparticular material becomes a maximum. The final adjustment may then beset by means of a lockingbolt 119' passing through a bolt hole in theflange and an arcuate slot 123 in the vane.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be apparent thatthe same is subject to alteration and modification without departing.fromthe underlying principles involved and I accordingly do not desireto be limited in my protection to'the specific details illustrated anddescribed except as may be necessitated bythe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an extnusion mill, a perforated ring die, means supporting saidring die with its axis substantially horizontal and defining therewith adie chamber, a pair'of extrusion means disposed within said die chamber.adjacent the inner face of said ring die along substantially. thehorizontal diameter thereof and adapted to extrude material through theperforations of; said die upon rotation of said die, means for rotatingsaid ring die, an

outwardly flaring housing, means for aifixing the. same at its smallerend to said ring die for rotation therewith, said housing having a frontwall at its larger end, means for supplying material into said rotatablehousing, and means cooperating with said outwardly flaring housing whilesaid housing. is in rotation for segregating and. directing a quantityof such material to the upper region of said die chamber and into thepocket formed by said ring die with one of said extrusion means, saidcooperating means including ashelf within said ring die chamber abovesaid one extrusion-means and extending partly therefrom into saidhousing,- said shelf terminating.

in said housing in an angularly disposed edge directed inwardly towardsaid'pocket,,and.a flange extending up:- wardly from said edgetoward'the walls of said housing and terminating short thereof atcertain points to leave an opening for material to bypass said flange.

2. Inan extrusion mill, a perforated ring die, means supporting saidring die with its axis substantially horizontal and defining therewith adie chamber, a pair of extrusion means disposed Within said die chamberad jacent the inner face of said ring die along substantially the.horizontal diameter.v thereof and adapted to extrude material throughthe perforations of said die upon rota tion of said die, means for.rotating said. ring die, an outwardly flaring housing, means foraffixing the sameat its smaller end to said ring. die for rotationtherewith, said housinghaving a front wallzatitslarger end, means forsupplying material into said rotatable housing, and means cooperating.with said outwardly flaring housing while said housing is in rotationfor segregating and die recting; a quantity of such materialto the upperregion of saiddie chamber andrinto the pocket formed bysaid ring diewith one of said extrusion means, said cooperating means includingashelf within said ring die chamber above said one extrusion means andextending partly therefrom into said housing, said shelf terminating insaid housing in an angularly disposed edge directed inwardly toward saidpocket, and a flange extending upwardly fromsaid' edge, said flangeextending approximately to said front wall and spanning the cornerformed by the. front wall of said housing with the outwardly flaringwall thereof to leave anopening at such corner for ma: terial to by-passsaid flange.

3. In an extrusion mill, a perforated ring die, means supporting saidring die with its axis substantially horizontal and defining therewith adie chamber, a pair of extrusion means disposed within said die chamberadjacent the inner face of said ring die along substantially thehorizontal diameter thereof and adapted to extrude material through theperforations of said die upon rotation of said die, means for rotatingsaid ring die, an outwardly flaring housing, means aflixing the same atits smaller end to said ring die for rotation therewith, said housinghaving a front wall at its larger end, means for supplying material intosaid rotatable housing, and means cooperating with said outwardlyflaring housing while said housing is in rotation for segregating anddirecting a quantity of such material to the upper region of said diechamber and into the pocket formed by said ring die with one of saidextrusion means, said cooperating means including a shelf within saidring die chamber above said one extrusion means and extending partlytherefrom into said housing, said shelf terminating in said housing inan angularly disposed edge directed inwardly toward said pocket, and aflange extending upwardly from said edge and into proximity with andcontoured to conform to the outwardly flaring wall of said housing, saidflange extending approximately to said front wall and spanning thecorner formed by the front wall of said housing with the outwardlyflaring wall thereof to leave an opening at such corner for material toby-pass said flange, and means for altering the extent of such opening.

4. In an extrusion mill, a perforated ring die, means supporting saidring die with its axis substantially horizontal and defining therewith adie chamber, a pair of extrusion means disposed within said die alongsubstantially the horizontal diameter thereof and adapted to extrudematerial through the perforations of said die upon rotation of said die,means for rotating said ring die, an outwardly flaring housing, meansaflixing the same at its smaller end to said ring die for rotationtherewith, said housing having a front wall at its larger end, means forsupplying material into said rotatable housing, means cooperating withsaid outwardly flaring housing while said housing is in rotation forsegregating and directing a quantity of such material to the upperregion of said die chamber and into the pocket formed by said ring diewith one of said extrusion means, said cooperating means including ashelf within said ring die chamber above said one extrusion means andextending partly therefrom into said housing, said shelf terminating insaid housing in an angularly disposed edge directed inwardly toward saidpocket, and a flange extending upwardly from said edge and intoproximity with and contoured to conform to the outwardly flaring wall ofsaid housing, said flange extending approximately to said front wall andspanning the corner formed by the front wall of said housing with theoutwardly flaring wall thereof to have an opening at such corner formaterial to bypass said flange, means for altering the extent of suchopening, and means for intercepting and guiding to said other extrusionmeans material which may have by passed said flange.

5. In an extrusion mill, a perforated ring die, means supporting saidring die with its axis substantially horizontal and defining therewith adie chamber, a pair of extrusion means disposed within said die chamberadjacent the inner face of said ring die along substantially thehorizontal diameter thereof and adapted to extrude material through theperforations of said die upon rotation of said die, means for rotatingsaid ring die, an outwardly flaring housing, means aflixing the same atits smaller end to said ring die for rotation therewith, said housinghaving a front wall at its larger end, means for supplying material intosaid rotatable housing, means cooperating with said outwardly flaringhousing While said housing is in rotation for segregating and drecting aquantity of such material to the upper region of said die chamber andinto the pocket formed by said ring die with one of said extrusionmeans, said cooperating means including a substantially horizontal shelfwithin said ring die chamber above said one extrusion means andextending partly therefrom into said housing, said shelf terminating insaid housing in an angularly disposed edge directed inwardly toward saidpocket, and a flange extending upwardly from said edge and intoproximity with and contoured to conform to the outwardly flaring wall ofsaid housing but terminating short thereof at certain points to have anopening for material to bypass said flange, and said flange definingwith said shelf a scoop adapted to receive from said housing materialfor compaction and guidance to said one extrusion member for extrusionthrough said die, and means for intercepting and guiding to said otherextrusion means material which may have by-passed said scoop, saidintercepting and guiding means comprising a strip disposed to one sidein said housing at a vertical angle, with its upper end having asubstantially horizontal edge in proximity to the front wall of saidhousing and with its lower end terminating approximately in the plane ofthe outer rim of said ring die, said strip having one of its longeredges in proximity to the outwardly flaring wall of said housing andcontoured thereto.

Johnson Aug. 7, 1956 Fisher Oct. 2, 1956

